1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the art of surface-finishing for various types of workpieces, and more particularly to a full-automatic multi-function barrel finishing machine comprising a plurality of barrels rotatably supported by their respective shafts which are perpendicular to a turret shaft for driving the barrel shafts for the orbital rotation about it. The functions provided by the machine include surface-finishing or polishing, milling, deburring, and the like of workpieces.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a barrel finishing machine that includes a turret rotatably supported by its shaft and a plurality of barrels rotatably supported by their respective shafts mounted on the turret perpendicularly to the turret shaft, for causing both the axial and orbital rotations of the barrels, thereby subjecting workpieces within those barrels to the surface-finishing actions such as polishing, milling, deburring and the like by interacting with abrasive media and any chemical compounds which are also contained in the barrels, wherein the improvement comprises a single machine construction that provides the multiple functions such as the rotating barrel finishing, centrifugal-flow barrel finishing, rotating barrel finishing under heavy resultant force (this will be called "heaving rotating barrel finishing") and rotating barrel finishing under centrifugal force. Those different types of operations may be selected depending upon the particular workpiece finishing requirements, and this selection may be made by varying certain parameters, such as the number of rotations of the turret and/or the number of rotations of the barrels, which have previously been defined and stored in any appropriate sequence controller means. This eliminates the need of having several units in the machine configuration which correspond to the different types of operations. In addition, any suitable computer such as a microcomputer may control the associated machine operations such as the selection and delivery of abrasive media into the individual barrels, the running of the machine for the workpiece finishing purposes, and the separation of the finished workpieces and the abrasive media used together with the workpieces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, there is a barrel finishing machine including a turret shaft and individual barrel shafts mounted perpendicularly to the turret shaft, which is designed for the individual types of finishing such as rotating, heavy-rotary, and the centrifugal-flow. However, rotating type under centrifugal force is not included, and no automatic operation is provided.
It is therefore necessary to provide certain parameters such as the speed of rotation for the turret and the speeds of rotations for the barrels, and to allow those parameters to be varied individually or in combination to meet the particular needs. A motor connected to each of the corresponding turret shaft and individual barrel shafts, and a frequency inverter is provided for each motor to cause the associated motors to provide the varying speeds of rotations. Those frequency inverters are controlled by the computer that provides the control signals.
It is also necessary to provide certain associated component units for functions such as abrasive media storage, feeder and return, barrel-lid close/open, and cleaner, compound feeder, barrel water removal, vacuum transfer of the media, barrel shaft positioning, mass separator, bucket transfer, and workpieces and abrasive media charging. Those component units must have operational and functional relationships, and must operate in well-organized relationships under control of any proper computer.